How to Address Underperformance Affecting Delivery Timelines: A Leader’s Perspective

When a team member’s underperformance starts to slow things down and puts deadlines at risk, it creates a tough challenge for any leader:

1. Fix the issue within the team to get things back on track.
2. Keep upper management informed to maintain their trust and manage expectations.

Please check my previous example: For addressing the underperformance mobile development team
https://marwanayman.com/addressing-underperformance-in-a-mobile-development-team-how-to-turn-things-around/

This happened to me during a mobile app project. Here’s how I dealt with it—by addressing the underperformance, being transparent about the impact with senior leadership, and keeping the project, team, and stakeholders aligned along the way.

1. Assess the Impact and Diagnose the Problem

As a leader, the first step is to clearly understand the extent of underperformance and its impact on delivery timelines:

• Quantify the Delay: I reviewed the project plan and metrics to determine how much the underperformance was delaying delivery. For example:
• “Alex’s incomplete payment validation module delayed our sprint by 3 days.”
• Identify the Cause: I analyzed whether the issue was due to a skills gap, poor clarity, personal challenges, or unclear expectations. In this case, Alex’s struggle stemmed from a skills gap with a new tech stack.
• Document Dependencies: I tracked how Alex’s delays were impacting other features (e.g., downstream testing and integration).

Why it’s Important:
Before escalating the issue to leadership, I needed a clear picture of the problem, its root cause, and how it was affecting the project timeline. This ensured I could provide factual, actionable information.

2. Address the Underperformance Internally

Once the issue was diagnosed, I took immediate action to stop the problem from escalating further:

1. Provide Targeted Support: I paired Alex with a senior developer, broke down tasks, and set daily check-ins to help him regain.
2. Introduce Preventative Processes:

• I implemented mid-sprint progress reviews to identify delays earlier.
• I promoted a culture of asking for help early, ensuring the team felt safe to raise blockers.

Why it’s Important:
Addressing underperformance quickly prevents a small problem from turning into a full-blown crisis while maintaining team morale and focus.

Communicate Transparently with Top-Level Leadership

When a team’s performance slows delivery, it’s essential to be proactive, transparent, and solution-focused in your communication with senior management. Here’s how I approached it:

A. Acknowledge the Situation Early

I didn’t wait for leadership to ask why timelines were slipping — I proactively scheduled a meeting to provide an update. Being upfront builds credibility and shows you’re actively managing the situation.

What I Said:

• “We’ve encountered a bottleneck in the mobile banking app project related to the API integration module. This has slowed progress slightly in the current sprint.”

B. Focus on the Root Cause

Leadership values clarity. I presented the root cause of the delay (skills gap and task overwhelm) without assigning blame to individuals.

How I Framed It:

• “The delay was caused by a skills gap during the integration process. One of our developers struggled with the new API library, and unfortunately, we didn’t catch the issue early enough to step in.”

This framing shifted the focus to process improvement rather than finger-pointing.

C. Present a Solution-Oriented Plan

Instead of focusing on the problem, I shared the actions I had already taken to fix it and outlined steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

What I Highlighted:

• Immediate Actions Taken:
• “We’ve paired the developer with a senior team member to accelerate their learning and unblock critical tasks.”
• “Some tasks have been reassigned to ensure we maintain progress on other features.”
• Updated Timeline:
• “With these steps, we expect the delay to be limited to just three days, and we’re prioritizing testing to minimize any additional impact.”
• Preventative Measures:
• “We’re introducing mid-sprint reviews and skill assessments to catch similar gaps early in the process.”

D. Reinforce Commitment to the Project Goals

Senior leaders care about results, so I reassured them that the team was still focused on delivering high-quality outcomes:

• “Despite this temporary delay, the team remains committed to delivering the project with all the planned features on time. We’ve realigned our focus and have a clear path forward.”

4. Monitor Progress and Share Wins

After implementing solutions, I kept leadership updated on progress:

• Regular Checkpoints: I shared weekly progress reports highlighting task completions, resolved blockers, and improvements in team performance.
• Celebrate Small Wins: I publicly recognized Alex’s successful integration of the API module and the team’s efforts to get back on track.

Why it’s Important:
Regular updates demonstrate that you’re in control of the situation and that the team is making tangible progress. Highlighting wins reassures leadership and boosts team morale.

5. Long-Term Lessons and Improvements

Underperformance can highlight areas for improvement in team processes and culture. I took this as an opportunity to strengthen the team:

1. Skill Gaps Prevention: Implemented skill assessments before assigning complex tasks to ensure developers were equipped to succeed.
2. Knowledge Sharing Culture: Introduced bi-weekly knowledge-sharing sessions where team members presented solutions to recent challenges (e.g., Alex later led a session on the API integration).
3. Psychological Safety: Encouraged open communication, where team members felt safe asking for help without fear of judgment.

Key Takeaways for Leaders

When underperformance slows delivery and impacts deadlines, here’s how you can handle it effectively:

1. Identify the Problem and Act Quickly: Address underperformance early, focus on the root cause, and provide targeted support to unblock progress.
2. Communicate Transparently with Leadership: Be proactive, factual, and solution-oriented when explaining delays. Senior leaders value transparency and a clear recovery plan.
3. Balance Team Morale and Results: While solving the problem, ensure the team feels supported and aligned toward the collective goal.
4. Implement Long-Term Improvements: Use the experience as a catalyst to improve processes, training, and team culture.

Conclusion: Turning Challenges into Opportunities

Dealing with underperformance in a high-pressure environment requires a blend of empathy, action, and clear communication. By diagnosing the issue, providing support, and being transparent with leadership, I was able to turn a challenging situation into an opportunity for growth — both for the team and the individual involved.

As leaders, our role isn’t just to deliver projects but also to help our teams overcome challenges, learn, and grow stronger together.

How do you approach underperformance in your teams? I’d love to hear your insights and strategies.